Application and utilization of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in the fields of physical distribution, load distribution, and product manufacturing are known. An RFID device is also called an IC tag or a radio frequency tag, and generally includes a small antenna and a very small IC module which is provided with a memory. Data can be read from or written to the memory using an RFID reader/writer.
In the field of transportation involving the use of aircrafts, there is a need to track and record the freight transportation route. One way to satisfy such need is the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). Specifically, a GPS terminal is attached to a freight including a GPS module and a communication module for transmitting and receiving the position information obtained by the GPS module to and from a control center.
However, origination of signals from a GPS terminal from within an aircraft is legally prohibited. Therefore, it is required that the function of the GPS terminal be validated only during land transportation. As such, the GPS module and the communication module of the GPS terminal are manually invalidated before the start of transportation by an aircraft. These modules are manually validated again when the land transportation starts again.
For solving a part of this problem, a technology is known in which sensors are used to inactivate the GPS terminal when the terminal is determined to be within an aircraft. However, this technology is not provided with any means for detecting the transfer of the GPS terminal to the outside of the aircraft.
Moreover, even if it is possible to use various systems including the GPS terminal to detect whether the terminal is within an aircraft, it is desirable to restrain the operation of the terminal when inside of the aircraft. It may also be possible to suspend and activate the GPS terminal with reference to information relating to the operation time of the aircraft by storing that information into the GPS terminal. However, if the actual operation time is changed from the stored information, there is a risk that the GPS terminal will be activated during the flight.